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What Is the Best Kind of Cat Litter?

Dec 3rd 2015 at 11:35 PM

Few pet-related decisions affect your home like choosing a litter for your cat. Not only will choosing the right litter ensure that your feline friend uses the litter box, it can also greatly affect how your home smells. So, which litter is best for your kitty and your home?

Traditional clay litter

When shopping for litter, your vet will likely point you towards a traditional clay litter. Not only is it effective, it is also very affordable. However, there are different kinds of clay litter, so you’ll want to make sure you know exactly what you’re getting before you bring it home.

There are clumping and nonclumping varieties. Although litter that doesn’t clump is usually the most affordable, it’s probably not the best choice. This type of litter doesn’t contain odors very well. In addition, the entire box has to be dumped and replaced more frequently. Instead, choose a clumping litter.

Natural cat litter

If you or your cat can’t stand the smell of clay litter, you may want to give natural litter a try. There are many varieties to choose from that include corn cob, wheat husk, and citrus peel litter. These varieties don’t have that strong litter smell, but they usually need to be scooped and dumped a bit more frequently, since they don’t trap odors as well as clay litter.

The one major benefit of choosing a natural cat litter is that some varieties can be flushed, which makes cleanup super easy. They can also be composted, if you’re concerned about the impact that traditional clay litter has on the environment.

Crystals

If that urine smell just won’t abate, crystal litter is an option as well. It is made of silica gel crystals that are able to hold 40 times their weight in liquid, which means less scooping and dumping. However, once those crystals reach capacity, things can get pretty messy fast.

If you choose to use this type of litter, you’ll have to keep a close eye on your kitty. Silica gel can be extremely harmful if swallowed, so it is important that your cat doesn’t ingest this litter.

Choosing the best litter is different for everyone, depending on your preferences and the preferences of your cat. Don’t be afraid to play around with a few different kinds, and ask your vet for more details about pet’s care recommendations.